I have been going back and forth for weeks to wheter installing a walkout door or an egress window in my basement. I have a ranch house about 1300 quare feet and need to create more room for kids. I currently have about 3' of the basement exposed outside and have windows in the place where I would be cuttting out the door or egress window. I really want the install the door because now I only have a 30" door to the basement and can not fit larger items through it. If I install the door I will need to dig out the ground outside and form walls, steps and drainage. My yard i level as can be and drainage would have to be tied into my basement floor drain or a sump door at the exterior door landing. I plan to build the wall and steps with Allan Block reataining wall blocks. I then plan to have a patio door installed. I am worried about the size of header needed above the door. The area where I want to install the door is 88" high. Any suggestions on this project would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you.

A double 2x10 headerwill work for most door sizes. You have plenty of room. My Dad has a similar situation with the basement door. His sump pump arrangement works fine. One thought comes to mind quickly, keep the threshold higher than the landing. Water will find it's way in if the threshold is dead level with the lower landing. If the lower landing is just an inch below the door's threshold, it will make a huge difference. You will not regret putting in a door.

You'd certainly regret not putting in a door.

Make the rough opening in the wall 6" wider than the rough-in spec listed on the door. This will give you enough room to put doubled 2x framing on the sides. Good luck with it.

How would I have enough room for a header? I only have 88" from the floor and the rough opening for the door should be about 81-82. I will have a company cut out the opening and make a T to install a header.

You could frame the header into the exterior band,rim or box joist. Whatever you call it in your area.
Since you will be cutting the concrete anyway, you should remove any siding in the way of that area, if you dont' want it cut too. They will have to cut some of the framing also and this is the easiest way to make headroom.
Support the joists in the area.
Remove as much of the band joist you need above the door opening area.
Cut back the joists 1 1/2 inches and install your new header in the floor system.
Basically you are building a flush beam.
Last are the joist hangers.
Done.

You could frame the header into the exterior band,rim or box joist. Whatever you call it in your area.
Since you will be cutting the concrete anyway, you should remove any siding in the way of that area, if you dont' want it cut too. They will have to cut some of the framing also and this is the easiest way to make headroom.
Support the joists in the area.
Remove as much of the band joist you need above the door opening area.
Cut back the joists 1 1/2 inches and install your new header in the floor system.
Basically you are building a flush beam.
Last are the joist hangers.
Done.

Good luck.

I have brick on top of the foundation and I do not want to cut through the brick if possible. What about a lintel? I have almost the whole project figured out except for the header.

The lintle is there to hold the brick...you still need something to hold the framing.
When they cut the hole out you can still frame the way I suggested, you just do it from the bottom and use the jack studs Square Eye mentioned to support the header.

I was thinking that if I just put in a 36" door it would be alot less cutting. If I go with a 36" door I will have to run my steps perpindicular to my house which might lead to more water in the stairwell. The stairs would protrude about 12' into my yard which wouldnt be a problem for me. If I installed a 6' patio door I would probably run the steps parallel to the foundation only coming out about 4' from house and along the wall for the steps. I have a 30" soffitt that would collect alot of the rain water that way. I dont care which way I do it but bot have advantages. A 36" door would mean less foundation disturbance and would cause more rain water. A 6' door would be a smaller stairwell and have les rain water but involve more disturbance of the foundation. What do you guys think. I have vacation starting Monday 26th and want to plan this out as much as possible. I also need my AC moved before I start construction.

You could use steel for the header. An I beam would hold, even with the patio door. Cut a pocket in the concrete wall and set the beam from inside. You'd only need to allow for 3/4" for a 1x top nailer plate.

I was just htinking....dangerous!
The six foot door opening may be to big for your area of foundation.
Meaning if you have alot of soil behind that wall...you could get more problems.
What about a www.bilco.com hatchway and stairwell.
Or you put in the stairwell and use some plexiglass for the doors to let light in.

You could have an abutress put in to strenghen the wall you cut...or go with 36 in door.

The door would be in the long wall of the foundation that is 50' long. I will post some pictures here. The door will replace the window to the right if looking form inside and there is also a picture of the floor drain.